A wildfire ravaged the Croatian town of Omiš overnight, injuring dozens and forcing approximately 1,000 residents to evacuate the area, according to emergency services.
The blaze engulfed residential areas and trees across over 1,000 hectares, illuminating the night sky in red above Omiš, a picturesque town located along Croatia’s famed Dalmatian coast, surrounded by forests and rocky hills.
Health officials reported that of the 36 individuals treated for injuries in Split, about 25 kilometers to the north, 14 were hospitalized, with seven suffering life-threatening injuries.
Emergency shelters opened in various localities between Omiš and Split accommodated roughly 1,000 evacuees overnight. Omiš has a population of around 14,000 residents.
Fire Under Control as of Friday
Slavko Tucaković, the chief fire commander, described the wildfire as extremely destructive, stating, “It was a powerful fire that swept everything in its path… there was extensive property damage.” He indicated that by Friday morning, the fire had calmed down and open flames were no longer visible. Some firefighting resources and four aircraft were redeployed to tackle another fire further south in the Pelješac peninsula, known for its vineyards.
Reports suggest that Prime Minister Andrej Plenković was en route to Omiš, accompanied by several government ministers.
Wildfires Affecting Croatia Amid Heatwave
This summer, scorching heat and drought, which scientists link to climate change, have created ideal conditions for wildfires across Europe, particularly impacting countries like France, Spain, and Greece. The Balkans have also faced several heatwaves.
The escalating fires pose a threat to tourism, which is in full swing during the summer season. On Thursday, hundreds of tourists fled by boat from a northern Greek resort as a fire rapidly spread through a forest toward the coast.
In Croatia, 286 firefighters, 90 fire trucks, and four aircraft battled the blaze overnight. A section of a major coastal highway was closed.
“Everything burst into flames in an instant,” said Goran Lović, who owns a café near where the wildfire started in Lokva Rogoznica. “It just happened suddenly; there was an open flame in the area where the forest is, and there are no houses nearby,” he added.
